Toy bowling apparatus



(No Model.)

2 sheetssheet 1.

G.- BROWN. TDY BOWLING APPARATUS.

IlIII /N VENTO/9 (No Model.) 2 She'etS-Sheet 2.

G. BROWN.

TOY BOWLING APPARATUS. 1 No. 600,712. Patented'Mar. 15,1898.

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W/TNESSES llinrrn Srnrns Arnivr Frou.

GEORGE BROWN, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TOY BOWLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,712, dated March15, 1898.. Application filed October l13, 1897. Serial No. 655,010. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concorre. Be it known that I, GEORGE BROWN, a citizenof the Empire Vof Germany, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Toy Bowling Apparatus, of which the following 4is a specification.`

This invention relates to a toy bowling apparatus, the object of thesame being to provide a `convenient and interesting game apparatus whichcan be placed in the room of a house without taking up unnecessaryspace, inasmuch as the table which is equipped with theinstrumentalities necessary to carry out my invention is adapted to beconverted into shape for use as an `ordinary dining-table or the like.

The invention consists of certain details of construction andcombinations of parts, to be hereinafter described and then claimed.

ln the accompanyingdrawings,Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough my improved toy bowling apparatus. Eig. 2 is a plan view of thesame. Fig. `3 is an end View. Fig. 4: is a horizontal transverse sectionon the line 4 4, Eig. 2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on line 5 5,Fig. 6, through the toy gun used in projecting the balls toward thepins. Eig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6 6, Fig. 5, throughthe same in a horizontal plane. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on theline 7 7, Eig. 6; and Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sections on the lines8 8 and 9 9, respectively, of Eig. 5. A

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a table on which the parts of myapparatus are mounted, said table being supported by suitable legs, asa. One end of the table is provided with a pit B, formed by a depressedpocket of suitable construction, into which the ball which is used forstriking the pins C passes and from which the ball is returned back tothe player by means of the gutter D, leading from an opening d in theinner wall of the pit to the front end of the table, where the same isled into a receptacle E, suitably supported from one of the legs of thetable. Arranged at the `forward end ofthe table,op posite the pit, is aswiveled toy cannon F, which by means of suitable training mechanism isdirected toward either side ofthe table,

. so as to point toward any one of the pins O.

In order to confine and guide the bali when projected from the toycannon, there are hinged tothe sides of the top of the table by means ofarms g side boards G G', said boards being firmly connected to the outerends of said arms in such a manner as that when the side boards areswung over onto the top of the table corresponding edges of the samewill rest on the top surface of the table, so that the boards arearranged in parallel position at the sides of the table to forni acentral channel extending longitudinallythereof. At the ends of themovable side boards G G and to the back of the pit B isv hinged at 71, aback board H, which prevents the ball from falling off the end of thetable and directs the ball into the pit B.

If the table is to be used as a dining-table or for other purpose Wherethe top should be cleared, the toy cannon E is disconnected from thetable, the pins O removed, and the side boards G G' swung intotheposition below the top of the table as shown by dotted lines in Fig.3, in which position they are fastened by mea-ns of hooks g", pivoted tothe legs of the table and adapted to engage pins g2, applied to the endsof the said side boards. In this position the side boards form shelvesun derneath the table-top for supporting `the different portions of theapparatus which have been removed from the top of the table or any otherarticles which may be desired. Vihen the side boards G G have been swungdown into the position shown, the end board I-I is swung down, so as toclose the pit B, said board forming a continuation of the table-topproper. The apparatus is used in the usual manner of bowling apparatusesand its operation will be apparent without detailed description.

The toy cannon is of special construction, now to be described,referring especially to Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive.

I is the barrel of the cannon, the inner end of which is secured into asocket-piece J, into the other end of which socket-piece is secured atube j in the form of a barrel.

IOO

The toy cannon is mounted upon a horithe same can be adjustedtransversely of the said support. To this end the support is providedwith a slot K', extending transversely of the cannon, through which slotpasses a headed swivel-pin Z, which is received in a socket Z in thebottom of the socket-piece J of the cannon, the lower end of said swivelbeing screw-threaded, so as to receive a screwspindle L, the ends ofwhich are journaled in the supporting-legs 7c of the cannon-support Kand provided with a hand-crank L' for ro- -tating it. By this means thecannon can be shifted sidewise on the support or it can be swung on thepivoted point furnished by the swivel Z, according to the direction tobe given to the ball.

The shaft m of a hand-crank m is mounted in a vertical hole in thesocket-piece J of the cannon and is provided with a pinion m2,whichmeshes with a rack M, which is guided longitudinally through alongitudinal guide-hole m2 in the said socket-piece J. This rack isprovided at one end with a hook M and at the other end with a head M2.Between the head M2 and the rear end of the barrel I of the cannon isarranged a helical spring N, the tendency of which is to project therack rearwardly until the hook M at the rear end of the same abutsagainst the socket-piece J. The hook M is beveled, so that when the rackM is pressed back against the action of its spring N it will pass overand engage with a spring-actuated detent O, said detent consisting of aplate which is provided with'a central perforation, into which the hookpasses, so that the hook can engage with said detent or plate or slide,which is provid ed with a shank O,around which is coiled a springO2,arran ged Within a housing O3, mounted on top of the rear tubej ofthe cannon. Said spring bears at its lower end against the tube j and atits upper end againstan abutment on the shank or stem O', so that thedetent O is normally raised by the spring, said shank being provided atits upper end with a push piece or button O4, so that the detent can bepressed down for disengaging the same from the hook M and permit theactuating-spring N of the rack M to project the head M2 forwardly.

Arranged adjacent to the muzzle of the barrel I of the cannon is atransverse rack p, which is engaged by a pinion p, journaled on a shortshaft p2, fixed to a support P, a'rranged beyond the cannon-support K,said pinion P being in turn intermeshed by a gearwheel Q, which ismounted on a rotary shaft Q', turning in suitable bearings of thesupport P and of cross-piece K2, connecting the legs k of the support K.The rear end of the rotary shaft Q is provided with a handwheel Q2.

The operation of the cannon is as follows: When the barrel I is to beprepared ready for receiving the bowling-ball CZ, the hand-crank fm' atthe top of the cannon is rotated so as to retract the proj ector-head M2and the rack which carries the same until the hook M engages with thespring -actuated detent O. The ball CZ is now inserted into the barrelI, and as the latteris in slight upwardly-inclined position the ballwill naturally roll down to and in contact with the head M2. If thecannon is to be shifted bodily sidewise, the hand-crank L is rotated,and if the same is to be trained on its pivotal support the handwheel Q2is rotated, so that through medium of the shaft Q and the gearing Q p pthe cannon is swung `on the axis Z. The pins having been set iu properposition, the ball is now ready to be projected from the cannon, thisbeing done by pressing down the head O4 of the spring-detent O, therebydisengaging the hook m of the rack m from the detent, so that the headon the rack under the actuation of the actuating-spring throws ordischarges the ball from the barrel of the cannon. For the purpose ofbetter guiding the ball the barrel of the cannon is preferably providedon the interior with longitudinally-extending ribs t', the distancebetween which corresponds to the diameter of the ball. In this mannerthe apparatus is permitted to more nearly simulate the movements in aregular bowling-game.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent" l. A toy bowling apparatus, comprising a tableprovided with a pit at one end, a cannon or ball-projector at the otherend, and side boards hinged to the sides of the table and adapted to beswung over onto the top of the table in vertical position and to aposition below the table, substantially as set forth. t

2. A toy bowling apparatus, comprising a table, a toy cannon orball-projector at one end of the table and a pit at the other end of thetable, side boards hinged to the sides of the table and adapted to beswung over onto the top of the table in vertical position, as Well asbelow the table out -of the way, and a movable end board adapted to bearranged against the ends of the side boards, substantially as setforth.

3. A toy bowling apparatus, comprising a table, a toy cannon orball-projector at one end of the table, means leading from the other endof the table to the forward end of the table for conducting the ballfrom the rear end to the forward end, hinged side boards applied to thesides of the table and adapted to be swung up into vertical position onthe surface of the table, and an end board arranged at the rear end ofthe table and adapted to close the space between the rear IOO IIO

ends of the side boards, substantially as set 600,712 i si rear end ofthe barrel, of a spring-actuated projector comprising a headed rackprovided 15 with a hook adapted to be engaged by said detent, and apinion intermeshing with said rack, and provided with suitable means ofrotation, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as zo my invention I have signedmy name in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE BROWN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, GEO. W. JAEKEL.

